2023 first-round draft pick Anthony Richardson began the last two regular seasons as the Indianapolis Colts’ starting quarterback.
Richardson has some work ahead of him to remain atop the depth chart through the end of August.
As shared by RotoWire/CBS Sports, citing ESPN’s Stephen Holder, Colts general manager Chris Ballard said on Friday that Richardson will face legitimate competition for the starting job during the summer.
“We knew when we took him it was going to be a roller coaster,” Ballard said about Richardson. “The number one thing we have to figure out and have to work through is he’s got to stay healthy. That, to me, is the biggest question. We have to have competition at the position because competition makes you better and because he’s not proven he can stay healthy for 17 games.”
The experiment of naming Richardson the Week 1 QB1 as a rookie after he made just 13 college starts with the Florida Gators has thus far gone poorly for the Colts. Multiple injury setbacks limited him to just four games during his debut pro season before he missed time this past fall with reported oblique and abdominal strains. Additionally, severe back spasms sidelined the 22-year-old for the final two contests of the 2024 campaign.
Even if Richardson proves he can stay healthy, he hasn’t yet shown he can improve as a passer at the highest level and handle all that it means to be the CEO of an NFL offense. He was benched for two games this fall after he took himself out of a contest because he was “tired,” and Indianapolis defensive tackle DeForest Buckner later revealed that he and other veteran players met with the signal-caller during the demotion to let him know “that the standard wasn’t being met” and “that he needs to pick it up.”
Zak Keefer and James Boyd of The Athletic noted in a piece published on Jan. 2 that Colts players tried “to hold (Richardson) accountable” when he was benched.
According to Pro Football Reference, Richardson ended Week 18 ranked last among qualified players with a 47.7% completion percentage, last with a 61.6 passer rating and 31st with a 47.5 adjusted QBR. Over 11 games, he tossed eight touchdown passes and 12 interceptions.
How Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen address the quarterback situation before and during the upcoming draft will likely determine if they hold onto their jobs through next winter. It’s now clear that some within the Colts no longer view Richardson as the long-term answer at the position they thought he could become less than two full years ago.
